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Members debate revision proposals

Matt Bramanti | Tuesday, January 27, 2004

Members of the Council of Representatives convened Monday evening in LaFortune, but not for long – a fire alarm forced evacuation of the building, ending the evening’s debate on the proposed revisions to the Student Union Constitution.

One point of contention focused on the issue of elections. Under the new structure, each dorm would elect a hall president, a campus programmer and a policy council member. Student leaders were divided on whether candidates for those three positions should run on combined tickets.

Off-campus president Sarah Blake said that individual tickets would promote better candidates.

“I think it should be a split ticket,” Blake said. “With a combined ticket, you won’t get the best combination of people.”

“Allow the rector and hall president to decide for their dorm on a year-to-year basis,” he said.

Members voted to table the decision until next week’s meeting. Another issue dealt with approving student government’s financial budgets. Ebersol said that in the interests of openness, senators should have access to all budget proposals at their first meeting of each term.

Hall Presidents Council co-chair Sarah Keefer proposed that budgets be approved by both the Council of Representatives and the Senate, saying both bodies should have authority regarding financial matters.

“It would provide for a good check and balance,” Keefer said.

Council members also began debate on the issue of Senate committee chairs. However, seconds after members voted to extend the length of the meeting, the meeting was disrupted by blaring fire alarms and the members cut their debate short in order to evacuate.